172 



BEMAEKS OF COUNT STEENBEEG. 



third into one, and calls the first that of islands, the second 

 of coasts, and the third of continents. 



The flora of the first era, terminating with the coal, was 

 simple, but magnificent, and extremely elegant in its forms, 

 consisting of plants which either have no existing analogues 

 in the present creation, or such as are now limited to the 

 torrid zone. The accompanying illustration depicts the cha- 

 racter of these plants (fig. 109). That of the second presents 

 few analogies of genera, and probably none of species, with 

 those of the period preceding ; and thus the first flora, which 

 was universally diffused over the whole earth, was strongly 

 distinguished (scharf abgeschnitteri) from the second. The 

 annexed engraving portrays the flora of the triasic, oolitic, 

 and wealden groups. (Fig. 110.) 



a Arborescent fern. 



Z> Pecopteris. 



c Asterophyllites. 



Vegetation of the coal. 



d Neuropteris. 

 e Lepidodendron. 

 / Calamites. 



Fro. 109. 



Arancaria. 

 Casuerina. 



The second passed imperceptibly into the third, which com- 

 prises the tertiary formations, and is only distinguished 

 by the change in the relative numbers of acotyledonous 

 and monocotyledonous, as compared with dicotyledonous 



